Electrified
by Riter's Fury
Summary: An alarming call in the middle of the night sends Danny on a desperate mission to complete a series of wild tasks. If he fails, Steve will die. If he succeeds, he'll rescue Steve, but lose everything else. Will Danny risk it all to save his friend?
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: I started writing this story back in 2012, but I didn't want to post it until it was finished. The ideas were all there and a lot of it was written, but I never had the motivation to finish it. If you like the story, you can thank Warrior's Bride for helping me pull things together and complete it.

Also, thanks to my beta and good friend Shakespeare's Lemonade for reading and critiquing everything I share with her.

The story is nine chapters in all, so I'll probably post about once or twice a week.

I hope you enjoy the story. Let me know what you think.

* * *

 **Electrified**

by

Riter's Fury

#~~#~~#~~#~~#~~#~~#

 **Chapter 1**

They were closing in. Danny could hear them ripping apart the warehouse searching for him. He knew he didn't have much time. It was amazing he had lasted this long. Every fiber of his being wanted to curl up and wish away the hell he had been through in the past thirty-six hours. But wishing wouldn't help him. And it wouldn't help his partner.

Steve remained strapped to the electrical monster, burns marking his arms and chest. His breathing was ragged and labored. Danny knew he was slipping away. "Hang on, buddy," he whispered, his voice hoarse from exhaustion. "I'm gonna get us out of this." He hoped he sounded confident because he sure didn't feel it.

Steve lifted his head. He tried to focus on his partner's face, but the effort was excruciating and his head fell back against the chair. He knew he wasn't going to make it, and he needed Danny to accept that. He wanted him to leave while he still had a chance. His lips moved, but he had no strength to voice his request. He only managed a groan.

Danny glanced at Steve. "Don't even think about giving me one of those 'I'm about to die' speeches. I'm not interested. You're gonna make it." Then he thought to add, "We both are."

Steve raised his head slightly. "Go," he managed to say before his eyes closed and his head slumped against his chest.

"Hey. McGarrett." Danny shook his friend. "Come on! Don't die on me!"

No response.

Danny wasn't sure what he was going to do. He was running out of time.

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Danny Williams' home, 36 hours earlier..._

An incessant buzzing woke Danny from his sleep. Without opening his eyes, he reached over to the bedside table trying to find the alarm clock. He accidentally knocked it to the floor, but the sound didn't go away. He opened his eyes and groaned. It was his phone, not his clock.

 _This better not be about a case,_ Danny thought as he picked up his phone. He didn't recognize the number. "Hello?" he answered in a gruff voice.

"Good morning, Detective Williams," a cheerful voice responded.

Danny rubbed his eyes, then reached down to pick up the fallen clock. It was two in the morning. "Good morning? Who the hell is this?"

"E. L. Tric. Or Dr. Tric if you prefer."

"Who?"

"I want to offer you an experience of a lifetime."

"What are you some sort of salesman? Do you know what time it is?"

"I'm more of an inventor marketing my own product. Commander McGarrett is already using my invention and he is quite _stunned_ by it."

"So, Steve put you up to this? Only that idiot would think it was funny to call someone at two in the morning. I'm not interested in your product, and don't call again."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought your partner's life meant more to you than that, but I guess I was mistaken. I won't trouble you further."

Danny sat up. "Wait, what are you talking about?"

"Oh, so you are interested." Dr. Tric sounded like an excited child. "Your partner is thrilled, aren't you, Commander McGarrett."

Danny felt a shiver along his spine. "He's with you?"

"Yes, but he's tied up at the moment. He's sitting in a _special_ chair I built for him."

Danny didn't like the sound of that. "What are you doing to him?"

"I actually won't be doing anything to him at all. What happens to him is entirely up to you."

"What do you mean?"

"I have a series of tasks I would like you to complete. The first one is to open your front door. There's a package waiting for you. Don't worry, it won't explode. It wouldn't be any fun if you blew up at the beginning of our game. I have many exciting things in store for you."

Danny felt as if he was in some B-rated horror movie. He was on the phone with a certifiable lunatic who had his partner in some _special_ chair that probably wasn't a La-Z-Boy recliner. He figured he had no choice but to retrieve the package.

As promised, he found a small brown box sitting outside his door. He looked around, but there was no one in sight. Picking up the package he went inside. "I have it," he said.

"Oh goody. Now open it."

Danny lifted the flaps, uncovering a small device nestled in cotton batting. "What is this?"

"It's a specially designed earpiece."

"Okay. Do you care to elaborate on that?"

"It goes in your ear."

"I think I got that much figured out."

"It plays a very important role. It links directly to the voice command feature in the chair and it provides a way for the three of us to communicate with each other throughout this experience. Oh, did you want to say something, Commander McGarrett?"

"Don't do it, Danny!" Steve yelled.

"Steve-" A humming, followed by a zap and a grunt, interrupted Danny. "What was that?"

"Oh, I forgot to mention there are certain things you cannot say, or do, because it will cause your partner an unpleasant tingling sensation. So by saying 'Steve'- _Hum. Zap. Grunt._ "Whoopsie. I accidentally said Steve." _Hum. Zap. Grunt._

"Please stop!" Danny exclaimed. "I get the point."

"Very well, but let me explain further. By calling your partner by his first name, trying to contact your other crime fighting friends, Chin Ho Kelly and Kono Kalakaua, or taking too long on any one assignment, et cetera, et cetera, your partner will receive an electric shock as you have just heard. Each time you fail to follow the rules, the power will increase. I'm sure you know what will happen if it gets too high. The human body can only withstand so much."

"What kind of sick maniac are you?"

"A brilliant one. Now I think you should get some rest, detective, you'll need plenty of it for your upcoming adventures."

"You expect me to sleep?"

"Look in the bottom of the box. You'll find something to help you with that."

Danny turned the box upside down. A sealed bag containing a white tablet dropped onto the table. "You just expect me to take this? How do I know it's not poison?"

"For your friend's sake you should ask fewer questions. I'll be in touch. Sweet dreams."

"But will you at least tell me why you're doing this?"

"I'd thought you'd never ask. Let's just say it's an experiment in human behavior, one that will be a most electrifying experience."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 _Danny's home, 7:00 am..._

"Detective Williams. Detective Williams," a voice called, slowly pulling Danny out of a sleep filled with unpleasant dreams.

Danny swatted at the voice in his ear.

"Detective," the voice said again.

He lifted his head as the horror from last night crept back into his mind. He swore.

"I'm assuming that exclamation means you're awake, am I correct?" Dr. Tric asked.

Danny rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, I'm awake."

"Oh, goody. Did you sleep well?"

Danny looked down at the kitchen table where his head had been resting. "Yeah, I slept like a baby."

"Oh, you sound grouchy. Well, I have something to fix that. Open your front door."

"What's out there this time?"

"Just breakfast."

Danny stood, moving to open the door. He found a cup of coffee and a bag of malasadas waiting for him. "Oh, my favorite," he said, without a hint of pleasure. "How did you know?"

"I know a lot of things about you, Detective Williams."

Danny didn't relish that thought. "After I eat this wonderful breakfast you have provided what will I be doing today?"

"I'm glad you asked. You're quitting your job."

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Parking lot, Five-0 headquarters, 8:00 am..._

Danny squeezed the steering wheel of the Camaro. He dreaded the fact that for the next undetermined amount of time he would be a madman's puppet. Danny could hear Dr. Tric humming in his earpiece, he seemed to be enjoying this a little too much.

"Detective Williams," Dr. Tric said. "Are you ready?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Of course you do." The melodic response floated into the detective's earpiece.

Danny punched the steering wheel. "I'm ready."

"Good. Now when you get inside make sure you are unpleasant. It will make everything much more interesting."

"Great." Danny stepped out of his car and made his way into the building.

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Inside Five-0 headquarters..._

Chin Ho Kelly stood at the surface table scrolling through information on Five-0's latest case. Much to his surprise, he had arrived before anyone else, including Steve.

"Hey, Chin," Kono called as she entered. "Boss isn't here yet?"

"Not yet."

"Hmm, that's unusual. I brought coffee, and some malasadas for Danny. After our last case, I thought we could use it."

"Danny's not here either."

She set down the tray of coffee and a brown paper bag. "Today's Friday, right?"

Chin smirked. "All day."

Just then, Danny walked through the door, his shirt wrinkled, and untucked.

Kono smiled. "Morning, Danny. I brought you malasadas."

He grunted, marched into Steve's office, and placed an envelope on the desk. When he came out, he didn't acknowledge either of the cousins, but went straight to his office.

Kono looked to Chin for an explanation, but he shrugged. They decided to find out what caused the peculiar behavior in their co-worker. Danny was clearing off his desk, tossing his belongings into a box.

"Moving to another office?" Kono asked.

"Nope," Danny said, dropping a stack of papers into the trash receptacle.

Chin's right eyebrow rose in surprise. "Danny, is everything okay?"

"Just peachy."

"Then what are you doing?"

Danny heard Dr. Tric's voice. "Tell Mr. Kelly that you've had it with your partner."

Danny hesitated for a second knowing if he didn't do as he was told Steve would suffer for it. "I've had it with Steve." _Hum. Zap. Groan._ He grimaced. He had just caused his partner pain anyway, but he couldn't dwell on that. "I put my letter of resignation on that knucklehead's desk and that's it, I'm done."

Kono threw up her hands. "Is this because of what happened on our last case?"

"Our last case, and the case before that, and all the cases we've ever had," Danny spat out as he emptied the contents of his desk drawer into the box. "My life was perfectly fine before McGarrett came crashing into it with all that gunfire, explosions and general craziness that comes with him."

"Danny, shouldn't you wait until he gets here, so you can talk to him about this?" Chin suggested.

Danny knew Steve wouldn't be coming in this morning, or any morning, if he didn't play the part. There was no telling how long he would last in the special chair of electrical doom. "I'm done talking. I'm leaving."

"What are you gonna do?" Chin wondered. "Go back to HPD?"

"Tell him 'no'," Dr. Tric said. "But with a sharpness of tone."

"That hell hole? No, thank you. I'm done with public service. Maybe I'll go into business for myself. I'll put my detective skills to use where they'll be appreciated and well compensated."

Chin and Kono looked at each other in bewilderment.

"You're very good at this," Dr. Tric stated. "I knew you would be the most entertaining."

Danny wanted to tell him to shut up and stop chirping in his ear, but that was out of the question. "If you'll excuse me, I have more important things to do than stand here and chat with the two of you."

Chin grabbed his arm. "Is something wrong, Danny? You can tell us anything."

Dr. Tric rattled off another command. Danny hung his head for a brief moment as if to confess a hidden sorrow. Then without preamble, his right fist slammed into Chin's jawbone.

"Danny!" Kono shrieked, unable to believe what had just transpired.

Danny acted as if he didn't care. He grabbed his box of belongings and left headquarters without looking back.

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Meanwhile, at an unknown location..._

Steve's muscles twitched, and tingled from the last pulse of electricity that had flowed over his body. The pungent odor of burnt skin made his stomach churn. His head pounded with each beat of his heart. He dreaded to experience the effects of the electric shock again. This whole scenario was out of a science fiction movie, and as much as he didn't want Danny dragged into the plot, he hoped his partner could get him out of this nightmare.

Steve had scanned his surroundings, trying to get a fix on where he was, but he couldn't see outside, or hear any sounds. The only windows were filthy, horizontal rectangles situated at the top of the high metal walls. Even if he could make it out of the chair, it was doubtful he'd be able to climb out one of the windows. The walls looked smooth, hardly climbable without proper equipment. And the door had been secured with ten different types of deadbolts.

To his left, a pricey collection of computers and electronic equipment sat on a long silver table. Electrical cords ran in various directions, with at least five connected to the chair he sat in, each one a different color. He had tried several times to escape, but if he moved too much he received a zap of electricity to discourage his activity.

As painful as the shocks of electricity were, Steve found the way Dr. Tric studied him far worse. The man seemed to draw great amusement from this diabolical experiment. His fingers flew over his keyboard as he documented every micro and macro reaction Steve experienced. It was creepy.

"You do this often?" Steve asked.

Dr. Tric twirled in his chair. "Do what?"

"Experiment on random individuals in an old warehouse turned into a secret laboratory?"

"Is this an old warehouse?" Dr. Tric laughed, adjusting his silver framed, reflective glasses. "No, I have to admit this is a first, but I've been dreaming of this for a very long time."

"So is there a point to all of this?"

"There is."

"Can I ask what it is?"

"To see what the outcome will be."

That wasn't a good answer. It made Steve think his chances of getting out of this alive were slim. Dr. Tric had said something earlier about this being an experiment in human behavior, but there had to be more to it than that. But what?

Dr. Tric drummed his fingers on his lap. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"I'd rather you didn't."

"To what lengths do you think your partner will go to save you? Would he steal something? Or kill someone, perhaps? I'm rather looking forward to finding out, aren't you?"

Steve swallowed. Perhaps he had been wrong. Maybe this whole thing was about human behavior. More specifically Danny's. Steve wondered just how far his friend would go to save him. The more he thought about it, he wasn't sure this experiment would have a good ending whether Danny saved him or not.

 **A/N: I'd love to know what you thought about the chapter. I'm thinking the next one will be up on Monday. Thanks for all your lovely reviews and for taking the time to read the story.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 _Somewhere on Oahu in Danny's car, 8:30 am..._

Danny didn't know where he was driving, but he had to get as far from headquarters as possible. He didn't know what Chin and Kono were thinking of his behavior at the office. They might come to the conclusion he had finally lost it. And when Steve didn't show up for work, they would wonder if something was wrong. Hopefully, the cousins would put the pieces together and figure out he and Steve were in trouble.

For now, Danny could only wait for his next instructions from Dr. Tric. The things he had already done were strange. And personal, which made Danny uneasy.

He tried to remember past cases they had worked which might have involved someone with the skills to pull this off, but nothing came to him. Dr. Tric didn't pretend to know the members of Five-0 personally, yet he seemed to know a lot about them in a creepy stalker kind of way.

It wasn't until a few hours later, when Danny finally heard the voice in his ear. "Take the next right, detective," Dr. Tric said.

Danny looked in the rear view mirror. "You following me?"

"No, there is a GPS installed in your ear piece."

"You think of everything don't you."

"I do try."

"Where am I going?"

"Have you forgotten your lunch date with Gabby?"

Danny stiffened. He found it difficult to answer calmly. "I can reschedule, she won't mind."

"But that will be the third time this month. That's not the way to have a successful relationship. She's going to think you aren't interested in her anymore."

"She is well aware that work sometimes interferes with my personal life. She'll understand."

"I'm sure your ex-wife understood also, but look where that relationship ended up."

Danny let out an exasperated breath. "Can we just forget about lunch, so you can give me my next assignment. I've been waiting for hours."

"I already gave it to you. Lunch with your girlfriend. Enjoy yourself."

Danny ran a hand through his hair. He knew there was no way this would go well. He only hoped he wouldn't have to do anything really crazy. But so far with Dr. Tric, things were naturally crazy.

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Meanwhile at Five-0 headquarters..._

Chin discontinued the call when Steve's voice mail chimed in. "Where's Steve?" he asked for the third time.

Kono pressed her lips together, concern written on her face. "You know it sounded like Steve and Danny had some kind of fight, so maybe he's taking time to cool off."

"But why wouldn't he call?" Chin asked. "He'd know we would wonder if he didn't come into work. I'm gonna track his phone to see if we can locate him." Chin worked his magic on the surface table. "I got it. He's at home."

"Or at least his phone is," Kono suggested. "Maybe he's sick?"

"I think I'll stop by his house to see what I can find."

"I'll go with you. I just have to cancel my lunch plans."

"I got this, cos. You should go."

"Are you sure?" Kono asked.

"Yeah. I'll call you if I find out anything."

"Okay. I should get going."

"I'll walk with you."

Leaving headquarters, they made their way toward the stairs. Governor Denning met them on his way up. "Is McGarrett in?"

"No, he actually hasn't come in yet," Kono answered.

Denning looked at his watch. "It's almost noon. That's incredibly late by his standards."

"Well, he worked late last night," Chin said. "I'm sure he'll be in any time now."

Denning noticed the bruise on Chin's jaw. "I see you're having an eventful day even without him."

"We try," Chin replied.

"When you see him, I'd like a word. It's nothing too pressing, but I'd still like to get it taken care of. He doesn't seem to be answering his phone."

"Sure, I'll let him know."

Denning nodded and continued up the stairs. Chin and Kono hurried down and made their way to the parking lot.

"Did you just lie to the governor?" Kono said. "Steve and Danny left at six. They were grilling steaks or something."

"I think we should keep this quiet until we know exactly what's going on. Steve might not even be missing and we would have made a big deal about nothing."

"And if he is missing?"

"Well, I think we'll need to get in touch with Danny because he's probably the last person who saw Steve."

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Restaurant, 11:45 am..._

Danny was the first to arrive at the place where he and Gabby were meeting. He decided the best course of action was to get a table and wait for her. The hostess led him outside where he sat down and tried to relax. He couldn't let Gabby catch on that something was wrong. He took several deep breaths. He could do this.

A few minutes passed before Gabby arrived. Danny stood, greeting her with a hug, then helped her with her chair. He sat down, smiling. He thought if he didn't smile his expression would betray the worry that was gnawing at him.

"You must be in a good mood," Gabby said, picking up the menu.

"Good mood?" Danny answered. "Of course, I'm in a great mood. I'm having lunch with you."

Gabby smiled. She opened the menu, looking at the salad selections. "So how's everything going. How's Grace?"

Danny cringed inside. He didn't want to talk about Grace. Dr. Tric was probably listening to their conversation, but he had to say something. "She's great, but I want to hear what you've been up to."

"Okay. Well, let me see."

They spent the next twenty-five minutes talking about new developments at the museum, and other things Gabby thought might interest him. Danny wore a tight grin as they ate their lunch, and did his best to laugh at a funny mishap she recounted.

He started to think lunch would go by without a word from Dr. Tric. But during a brief lull in the conversation, Danny heard his voice. "Ask her where she sees this relationship going."

Danny tilted his head to the right and swallowed. "Gabby can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure. Anything," she replied.

"Um... Where do you see our relationship going?"

Gabby tried to suppress a smile. "Well, I enjoy spending time with you and I wouldn't want that to end. What about you?"

Danny scrambled for words. "I like being with you, too." That was true, but she seemed to be waiting for him to continue. "And Grace likes you a lot."

Dr. Tric had more instructions. "Ask her if she's interested in a more serious relationship."

Danny grimaced. If the crazy doctor was moving this toward a proposal, Danny would be in serious trouble. "What are your thoughts on a more serious relationship?"

Gabby seemed a little surprised, but happily so. "I would like that. You?"

Danny found himself about to say "yes". He hadn't realized he wanted a more serious relationship with her until that very moment. But Dr. Tric had a different plan.

"Tell her you're not interested. Make sure she believes you. Remember your poor partner Steve." _Hum. Zap. Groan._ "Whoopsie."

Danny could have screamed. Would have screamed, if Gabby weren't sitting in front of him. Instead, he dug his fingers into his thigh. "Well, actually, I'm not really interested in a serious relationship right now."

"I don't even believe you, detective. Try harder."

Danny ran a hand through his hair. "I can't do this."

Gabby looked at him, confusion and hurt lining her face. "I don't understand."

If the expression on Gabby's face wasn't enough to pierce Danny's heart, he heard Steve cry out in pain once more.

"Change your mind?" Dr. Tric asked.

Danny hated this guy, but he had established that from the first moment he heard Dr. Tric's voice. He had to sell this. No matter what. Even though it meant completely destroying everything he had with Gabby.

"It's just I'm not really wanting a serious relationship ever again." Danny put his hands flat on the table. "I'm mean, take this from someone who's been divorced. Serious relationships really suck. It's more fun to just hang out, have our fun, then move on when things get boring. You understand, don't you?"

Gabby's face paled. "I-if that's how you feel than I think we're done here." Not giving him time to respond, she grabbed her purse and walked away.

Danny's heart wrenched. This was the opposite of what he wanted. Why was this happening to him? Even if he rescued Steve, things may never be the same with Gabby.

"What are you gonna make me do next?" Danny asked the doctor.

"Oh, I'm so glad you asked. Now that you've closed the door on one relationship it's time to open another."

Danny gritted his teeth. "What?"

Dr. Tric let out a melodic sigh. "Oh, detective, it's time to express your undying love and devotion to Kono Kalakaua."

 **A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting. My time has been eaten up by splitting and stacking wood for the winter. Anyway, I hope the chapter was worth waiting for. Thank you for your reviews, follows and favorites, they're so encouraging. And what do you think about the ending of this chapter? Let me know. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 _Steve McGarrett's home, 12:10 pm..._

Chin parked in front of the house and noticed Steve's blue Silverado in the driveway. Climbing out of the car, Chin made his way to the front door, surveying the surroundings. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

After looking through the front windows, he knocked on the door, and waited for a few moments. When he received no response, he tried the door handle. Locked. His concern mounted as he made his way to the back yard, but again nothing seemed amiss.

Returning to the front of the house, he pulled out his phone. It was time to contact Danny.

"Are you looking for Steve?" a voice called from behind the lush vegetation.

"Ah, yeah?" Chin answered. "Who are you?"

An older man wearing a baseball cap and reflective glasses emerged from the greenery. "Marty Milner from next door."

"I'm Chin Ho Kelly, I work with Steve. Have you seen him around today?"

Marty shook his head. "Unless he's hiding indoors, which I doubt because he's an active fellow, I haven't seen him since he left last evening with a loud, short guy."

"Danny?"

Marty adjusted his silver framed glasses. "I don't know names. He moves his hands a lot though." The man demonstrated with several gestures.

"So you heard them talking?"

"Yeah, I was out watering my plants when he stopped by. Then he came out a few minutes later with Steve and they were auguring."

"Do you know what they were arguing about?"

"I wish I could help you with that, but I used to have some real nosy neighbors that lived on the other side that annoyed the heck out of me and my cat, so I try to mind my own business. I only noticed that they both seemed pretty upset. Especially the short guy. Do you think something happened to Steve?"

Chin didn't want to alarm the man. "No, I don't think so. Those two argue all the time." Chin smiled. "Thanks anyway." He pulled out a card from his pocket and handed it to the man. "If you see Steve or think of anything else give me a call."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help. Do you think I should water Steve's flowers? I'd feel like a terrible neighbor if I let them die."

Chin nodded. "I'm sure that would be fine."

Chin headed back toward his car feeling more convinced that Danny knew something about Steve's disappearance. He only hoped Steve was all right, and that Danny would answer his phone.

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Cafe in downtown Honolulu, 12:25pm..._

Danny ignored Chin's call for the third time, then put his phone on silent. He couldn't risk being interrupted. He didn't want to cause Steve any more harm by taking too long with his task. He grabbed the bundle on the seat next to him and stepped out of the car.

Kono was right where Dr. Tric said she would be. He figured the doctor had people keeping tabs on Five-0. Danny paused for a few moments to gather his thoughts as he watched Kono sip her drink. Then his heart sank. A tall dark haired man approached the table, kissed Kono, then took the seat across from her. It was Adam.

Danny groaned. The crazy doctor's timing was terrible, but deliberate. Danny was about to barge in on Kono's date and confess feelings he didn't have toward her, and all in front of her boyfriend. Could this day get any worse? He didn't want that question answered.

Finally, Danny gathered every ounce of courage, or more like craziness, and approached the couple.

Kono saw him first. "Hey, Danny. What are you doing here? Is everything all right?"

Danny put on his best cheesy smile. "No, everything isn't all right."

"What's wrong?"

"You're here eating lunch with this guy instead of me. That's what's wrong."

Adam stiffened and Kono's left eyebrow rose in confused surprise. "Um, did I forget something?" she asked.

"Not exactly because I haven't been honest with you." Danny produced a large bouquet of flowers from behind his back and handed them to her. "These are for you."

"Thanks..." Kono stared at the flowers. "Is this about what happened at the office this morning?"

"No, it's about us."

"Us?" Adam questioned. "Kono, what is he talking about?"

Kono shrugged. "Danny are you okay? You look a little pale."

Danny put a hand to his chest. "I am perfectly fine. I just need to tell you something that's been on my mind since the first day I met you."

Kono glanced at Adam and then back at Danny. "Okay."

Danny tried not to wince. "Kono Kalauaka, I love you."

Kono's mouth hung open, but Adam had something to say. He stood up. "Are you drunk?"

Danny straightened. "No, I am not drunk."

"Pick a fight with him," Dr. Tric ordered.

Danny didn't hesitate even though people were watching. "You don't express feelings for someone when you are drunk. That may be how you discuss matters of the heart, but real men wouldn't dream of it."

Adam stepped closer. "Excuse me?"

Kono jumped up and wedged her way between them. "Danny, what is going on?"

"I'm trying to save you from this loser." Danny pointed at Adam. "That's what."

"Maybe you should leave," Kono suggested, pushing Danny toward the exit. "We can talk about this later."

"I'm not leaving without you."

"That's it," Adam said, moving past Kono. "I don't know what's going on with you right now, but you need to leave."

Danny didn't like the glint in Adam's eye, but he continued. "Are you gonna make me?"

Adam reached for Danny's arm.

"Hey, back off." Danny held his hands in front of him. "You touch me, and I'll arrest you for assaulting a police officer."

At that moment, Kono's phone buzzed. Danny glanced down at the table. Chin was calling. Instantly, Dr. Tric's voice sounded in his ear. "Excellent performance, but I think we've overstayed our welcome. We better leave. _Quickly_."

Relieved, Danny dashed away, knocking into a waiter carrying a tray of food that flew through the air, splattering several patrons with its contents. Kono and Adam stared after Danny, bewildered by his behavior.

Kono grabbed her phone. "Hey, cos, you'll never guess what just happened."

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Back in Danny's Car..._

"My that was exhilarating," Dr. Tric gushed.

"That was humiliating," Danny muttered.

"Well, at least Adam didn't punch you, although, I was hoping for some fisticuffs."

Danny stopped at a red light. "Are we done yet?"

"No, no, no, we're just getting started," Dr. Tric replied. Danny heard a rustle of paper. "Oh, yes," the doctor continued. "It's time to pick Grace up from school. It's early dismissal, remember?"

Danny couldn't breathe. "It's not my day."

"Of course, it is. I had— I mean you had a wonderful conversation with your ex-wife, Rachel, lovely woman by the way, and she thinks it's just fabulous that you're taking Grace to the beach."

Danny rubbed his eyes. "Please…please, don't drag my daughter into this."

"I'm not dragging anyone. But do remember who you're doing this for. Your friend's life depends on it."

Forty-five minutes later, Danny sat on the beach building a sandcastle with Grace. She spoke about her day, the test in math, and the boy at lunch who gave her half of his cookie. The dessert sharing Romeo was the least of Danny's worries. The knot in his stomach tightened with each passing moment as he waited to hear the chirping in his ear.

The two hours spent at the beach felt like an eternity to Danny. When he finally pulled up in front of Rachel's house, exhaustion overwhelmed him.

"You don't look so good, Danno," Grace said.

"I'm fine, monkey. Just a little tired."

"Aren't we all," Dr. Tric interrupted. "But I'm feeling the need for a little heart to heart talk."

Danny sighed. "Not now, please."

"What did you say?" Grace asked.

"I'm going to be blunt, detective," Dr. Tric informed him. "You're moving back to New Jersey."

"Are you crazy?" Danny blurted out.

"Danno?"

"Don't deny you've thought about it," Dr. Tric said in a sing songy voice. "At least that's what your browsing history implies. And by the way, I changed the wallpaper on your computer, it was...boring."

"You've been on my computer?" Danny questioned.

Grace frowned. "You said I could."

"New Jersey," Dr. Tric reminded him. "I'm growing impatient."

"Umm, Grace, I need to tell you something important." Danny turned to look at her. "I...I'm moving back to New Jersey."

"What?" Grace stammered. "Why, Danno?"

"Poor, thing," Dr. Tric murmured. "It's not as if you don't love her, but you do have a life and it's about time you started living it. Don't you agree?"

"No."

"That's a shame."

 _Hum. Zap. Scream._

"Tell her you had a great day, but your priorities have changed and she's no longer one of them."

Danny pressed his eyes closed as he leaned against the steering wheel, struggling to control his emotions. "I can't."

Steve screamed again.

"Remember, this is all on you, detective," the doctor said. "You're the one hurting your friend."

"Don't listen to him, Danny," Steve yelled.

"Shut up, Steve," Dr. Tric ordered. _Zap._ Steve cried out. "Silly me," the doctor continued. "I keep forgetting."

"Stop it," Danny begged.

Grace's eyes widened. "What's wrong, Danno?"

 _Zaaaaappp!_

A howl erupted from Steve's throat, one that sliced through Danny's chest.

Danny debated the best course of action. If he said these horrible things to Grace, her heart would be broken. But if he refused, Steve would die. He glanced at his daughter in the rear view mirror, and suddenly the answer became clear. Grace would never forgive him if he let Steve die.

Danny swiveled in his seat. "I need to move on with my life, okay? You get that, right?"

"What do you mean?" Grace asked

"I—I just don't have time to be a father anymore."

Tears slipped down Grace's cheeks. "Something's wrong with you, daddy, why won't you tell me?"

"There's nothing to tell."

"She doesn't believe you," Dr. Tric said. "And might I add how terrible your friend looks."

Danny blinked back tears. "I don't want to be a father anymore, Grace."

He opened his car door and got out so he didn't have to look at her distraught face. Walking around the Camaro, he opened the passenger door. Grace sat stunned in the back seat for a few moments before climbing out.

Danny forced a smile and words he couldn't believe he was saying. "You understand, don't you, monkey?"

She wouldn't look at him.

Danny lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "Just tell your mom you want pineapple on your pizza tonight, and that'll make everything better."

Grace stared at him for several seconds, then blinked twice. Before Danny could say anything more, she turned and ran toward the house.

Danny raked his fingers through his hair and climbed into his car. He felt a wave of nausea wash over him. He laid his head against the steering wheel, hoping for an end to the madness.

Dr. Tric sighed. "I'm very disappointed. I wanted her to burst into tears. So now your friend's going to pay the price."

"No, please, I did what you—"

 _Hum. Zap. Scream!_

Danny slammed his fists against the dashboard. "Oh, my God, please stop."

All Steve's previous screams paled in comparison to this agonizing cry. Danny had never heard anything so wretched. It sounded as if Steve's lungs were pulled from his chest and stretched to their fullest extent, until finally, they snapped, and he fell silent.

Danny held his breath.

"Oh dear, did his heart stop?" Dr. Tric wondered. "You might have overdone it, detective."

Danny felt numb. "McGarrett, are you there?"

"I'm not sure he can hear you."

"Oh, my God." Danny wiped the tears rolling down his face. "I swear I'm gonna hunt you down—" Danny's phone vibrated on the seat beside him. Without thinking, he grabbed it. "Hello," his voice broke.

"Danny?" Chin said. "Are you all right?"

Danny tried to concentrate, but his pounding heart and frantic mind drowned out all reason. "I killed him," he wailed. "I killed, McGarrett."

 **A/N: I know things are a little heartbreaking right now, but as crazy as things seem I hope you'll stick with me. I previously had a more lighthearted author's note here, but I rewrote it after someone was a little upset at how things went in this chapter. It's understandable and please feel free to share your thoughts with me. Thanks for reading.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 _Chin's office, Five-0 Headquarters, 3:20 pm_

"I killed him," Danny wailed. "I killed McGarrett."

Chin didn't have time to respond before the call ended. He tried calling Danny again, but it went straight to voicemail.

Kono poked her head into the room and noticed the look of concern on her cousin's face. "Was that Danny?"

"Yeah."

"What'd he say?"

"He said 'I killed McGarrett.'"

Kono's mouth hung open. "What? I don't believe it."

"I don't either. But one thing's for certain, Danny's in trouble and it must be connected with Steve's disappearance." Chin placed his phone on the desk. "What do we know so far?"

"Well, Danny quit this morning, then he punched you, and he apparently has a secret crush on me. And you said Steve's neighbor heard them arguing last night."

"Like I told him, they argue all the time. What was different about last night? And why would an argument lead to Danny acting like this?"

Before Kono could answer, her phone rang. "It's Grace. I'm supposed to start surfing lessons with her tomorrow. I'll just be a minute." She stepped into the hall.

Chin leaned back in his chair, his eyes drifting to Danny's empty office then finally settling on Steve's. That's when a thought occurred to him. He stood and walked to Steve's office. There on the desk where Danny had left it earlier, was the envelope containing his resignation. Chin picked it up.

#~~#~~#~~#

 _An alley in a sketchy part of town, 9:25pm..._

Piles of trash littering the narrow way between two rundown buildings went unnoticed by Danny as did the decaying stench seeping from the dumpster. Danny sat on the wet ground, shivering, even though the air felt warm. He pulled his knees against his chest. The recent rain had soaked his clothes and further dampened his spirits.

Hours earlier, Dr. Tric had ordered him to smash his phone, and ditch his car in a crowded parking lot. He had been in such a daze he hadn't questioned anything. All he could see was Grace's distraught face and hear the sound of Steve's screams echoing in his ears. How could he bear the burden of knowing he had hurt his little girl and killed his best friend.

He dropped his head onto his knees. No matter what he did, the choices he made, the maniacal doctor meant for Steve to die from the beginning.

Yesterday, he had no idea how wretched his life would be. And now, what was he supposed to do? He hadn't heard a peep out of the doctor in hours. Part of him wanted to turn himself in, but the rest of him wanted to sit in the alley and rot, letting the rats nibble on his remains.

Danny sniffed. "I'm so sorry, buddy."

"Danny," a hoarse voice crackled in his earpiece.

The detective straightened and nearly blurted out 'Steve' before he caught himself. "McGarrett? You're alive?"

"I think so," Steve answered. "I guess I passed out."

Danny's throat tightened. "I thought you were..."

"You're not getting rid of me that easy." Several moments passed with no response. "You there, Danny?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here." Danny rubbed his eyes.

"What you said to Grace..." Steve trailed off. "You didn't have to."

Danny hiccupped as he suppressed a sob. "Yeah, well, no one should ever have too, but we don't live in a world that's fair." He cleared his throat. "Is Doctor Frankenstein there?"

"He's working on somethin', said I should talk to you." Steve paused. Danny could hear his labored breathing. "It's gonna be all right, Danno."

"You would have saved the day by now." Danny's voice rose in pitch. "I can't do what you do. I'm just a ordinary guy."

Steve tried to laugh, but it sounded more like wheezing. "Trust me, Danny, there's nothing ordinary about you."

"There certainly isn't," Dr. Tric interjected. "You're quite extraordinary, detective. That's why you haven't given up, yet."

Danny stood. "You knew my friend was alive and you didn't tell me," he exclaimed. "What kind of sick maniac are you?"

"It's all for the study. Now shall we continue with our research?"

"I have a better idea. No!"

"Detective, behave yourself. You wouldn't want to _shock_ your friend with this little temper tantrum, now would you?"

Danny let out a long pressure releasing breath. "Fine."

"That's better. Now are you ready for your next assignment?"

Danny gritted his teeth. "What asinine thing did you come up with now?"

#~~#~~#~~#

 _999 Bishop Street, 9:10 am..._

Danny tried to take Han Solo's advice and "fly casual", but the fact that he wasn't flying, and he wasn't a hero in an epic movie, negated those words of wisdom. Instead, he tried to blend in and remain calm, but how does one go about that when robbing a bank.

Danny reached the entrance of the building. He opened the door, holding it for an older woman, then followed her inside. The lobby area was bright and spacious and at this time of the morning there weren't many customers.

"Don't forget to let the teller know your name," Dr. Tric said.

"You only told me ten times," Danny mumbled, getting into line.

"Communication is key."

Danny pressed his lips together. Dr. Tric seemed to be anticipating his descent into deviant behavior.

Danny only stood in line for a minute before a teller was available. She was young, redheaded, and pretty. Danny felt badly she had to deal with a reluctant bank robber.

She smiled. "How may I help you today?"

Danny smiled back, to avoid the frown that desperately wanted to form on his face. He knew up until now his actions, as terrible as they might have been, were not exactly illegal. After this, there was no going back. It was very possible he could end up in a prison cell before completing Dr. Tric's list.

"Change of plans, detective," Dr. Tric chirped.

Danny listened as the doctor changed his task from criminal to strange. "What?"

"How may I help you?" the woman replied, not realizing Danny hadn't been talking to her.

Danny leaned forward, speaking in a low voice. "My name is Danny Williams," he paused, hardly believing what he was about to ask. He would surely go down in history as the stupidest bank robber in the world. "I...I need you to give me all your pennies." The woman looked more confused than frightened. "Yeah, you heard me right," Danny assured her. "I only want pennies."

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Chin's car 9:25 am..._

Chin and Kono received the news of the odd bank robbery while on their way to a meeting with the governor. Chin spun his car in the opposite direction heading toward the bank Danny had pilfered pennies from a short time ago.

When they arrived fifteen minutes later, several police cars lined the street. Duke met them outside.

"What happened exactly?" Chin asked.

"Danny went in, demanded all the teller's pennies, and then left," Duke replied.

"Are you sure it was him?"

"He gave his name to the teller, and I checked the surveillance video because I couldn't believe it."

"Why would he just steal pennies?" Kono asked.

"I don't know," Duke said. "I was hoping you had some idea."

Chin shrugged.

"Where's Steve?"

"He's unavailable," Kono said.

Chin looked around. "Do you have any idea what direction Danny's headed?"

"We think he took off toward Tamarind Park," Duke said, pointing up the street. "There are some officers in pursuit now."

Chin glanced at Kono. "Maybe we should lend a hand."

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Tamarind Park, fifteen minutes earlier_ _._ _..._

If Danny's last task hadn't been strange enough, he was now ordered to throw the stolen pennies into a reflecting pool. Dr. Tric hadn't specified whether to dump the pennies out of the bags, or toss the bags with their contents into the water. So Danny tossed the unopened bags into the pool with the hope the police would recover the coins. Then perhaps his prison sentence would be shorter, but he wasn't counting on it.

The bags made quite a splash. Several people glared as he passed them. One woman accused him of littering, and threatened to call the police. But what did he care. Littering only carried at least a twenty-five dollar fine, or community service. He had just committed a federal crime by robbing a bank.

Danny forced himself to keep moving. He knew he had to get off the main streets and lay low for a while. He took a left down a side street, ignoring the approaching sirens. If he made it out of this nightmare alive, and not wearing an orange jumpsuit, he was going to need a vacation. A long one.

He heard shouting behind him, he glanced backward. A mistake, he realized. He collided into a food cart, sending its contents crashing to the ground. Regaining his balance, he hurried on as the owner of the cart yelled curses at him.

Weaving his way through the crowded sidewalk, Danny looked for some way to escape his pursuers. "Hey, Doc, I don't suppose you can help me out?"

"Take your next right," Dr. Tric answered. "There's a green car waiting for you."

"Thanks...I think." Danny didn't want to ask whether the car had been stolen or not.

He turned right and came to a quiet street where a green car sat. It looked old. Danny hoped it actually worked. He climbed in, turned the key, and drove off.

Danny noticed the radio was missing. "Nice car."

"I detect sarcasm in your voice." Dr. Tric sounded disappointed. "I'll have you know that car happens to be very popular on the island. It will be much harder for the police to locate you. I thought you would appreciate that."

"Well, when you put it that way."

"Are you ready for your next assignment?"

"Sure, why not. I'm a fugitive. Why stop now."

"That's the spirit. I think you're really going to like this one."

"Whatever." Danny listened. His face blanched. "You want me to steal what?"

"Precisely. Have fun."

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Governor's office, 10:20 am..._

Danny had disappeared, but fortunately, the stolen pennies had been recovered from the reflection pool at Tamarind Park. After finding the coins, Chin and Kono had abandoned their search for Danny in order to meet with the governor. They would have prefered to continue looking for Danny and Steve, but the governor had made it clear he didn't want to be kept waiting.

Governor Denning sat at his desk, his hands folded together. He looked unsettled, but not upset, which probably meant he had no idea about the rogue Five-0 member. Chin and Kono sat down, but the governor spoke first.

"Why would Detective Williams steal pennies from a bank only to throw them into a pool?"

Chin and Kono glanced at each other. He knew, but he was taking the news better than they had anticipated. "We don't know," Chin said.

"And can you tell me why Commander McGarrett isn't here to deal with this? Since when does he disappear without a word."

"He's taking a mental health day."

"Is there something wrong with his mental health?"

"As you're aware we just closed a really big case that was pretty hard on our team."

"And Hawaii's budget."

"We did put two big drug dealers away, sir," Kono reminded him.

"And nearly shot up half the island doing so."

Chin winced, "That's a bit of an exaggeration—"

The governor waved his hand. "Never mind that. Make finding Detective Williams your top priority. And please tell Commander McGarrett to keep his phone on him the next time he takes a mental health day."

A hurried knock on the door interrupted their conversation. "Come in," the governor called.

His secretary entered. "I'm sorry to interrupt, sir, but we just received a report that someone stole your car."

"The SUV?"

"Ah...no, Governor, your personal car."

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Streets of Honolulu, 10:25 am..._

Danny felt the power of the BMW's engine as he accelerated down the road. Under normal circumstances, he would have relished the opportunity to drive this car. But the name Samuel Denning, Hawaii's governor, who was listed on the registration, took the excitement out of the experience. Not only was Danny a bankrobber, he was now a car thief.

He glanced in the rear view mirror, no police yet, but they would find him soon. "I stole the car, now what?" Danny asked.

"Take your next left," Dr. Tric responded.

"Are you sure?"

"Have I ever steered you wrong? Pun intended."

"And what am I supposed to do after I take a left?" Danny listened, eyes widening. "Are you insane?"

"Come on, detective, it will be thrilling!"

The tires screeched as Danny took a hard left. He blasted the horn to warn pedestrians. People scattered, clearing a path to his objective. He gripped the steering wheel, staring ahead as his fate zoomed closer.

"Bon voyage, detective."

The car flew into the air, its tires spinning frantically as it plunged into the ocean.

 **A/N: Sorry for leaving you hanging for so long. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 _Beach, 10:40 am..._

Danny pulled off his shoes, allowing the water to drain before he stumbled up the beach. He winced, touching his left side. He had hit the water at an awkward angle after jumping out of the airborne vehicle. That was something he never wanted to do again.

"It's as if you were born for this, detective," Dr. Tric exclaimed.

Danny grunted. Unfortunately, Dr. Tric's earpiece appeared to be waterproof.

"A swim is always good to clear one's head," the doctor said. "I'm sure you must be greatly anticipating your next task."

"How 'bout I catch my breath before you blast me with another belly flopper?"

"I would encourage you to continue on your way, detective. The police have been informed of your location, and in forty-five seconds will have you in handcuffs unless you go with the man who is waving at you."

"What man?" Danny scanned the area until he spotted a large Samoan waving at him from the parking lot. He sighed. But, he wasn't sure if he felt relief, or concern for Kamekona who had been dragged into this mired mess.

"Don't waste any time, detective."

"Why'd you bring him into this?"

"He's the ride to your next assignment. And good manners dictate one must invite all friends and family to the party."

Sirens blared, people shouted, and Danny raced across the beach. The uneven ground hampered his footing, he stumbled several times before reaching the parking lot. Zipping around the vehicle, he jumped in the passenger's side. Kamekona hit the gas before Danny closed the door.

Danny shot Kamekona a worried look. The man's face mirrored his own. Danny felt a sinking sensation. He was afraid to ask the doctor what he had to do next.

"Now that you're safely on your way," Dr. Tric said. "It's time to reveal your biggest challenge yet."

Danny threw his hands up. "You realize this isn't an action movie and I could die from doing these moronic things."

"It's amazing what people can do when someone's life is on the line."

"That's so reassuring."

"I'm glad I could help. Now go have fun borrowing a truck filled with illegal substances."

"What do you mean borrow?"

Kamekona looked at him. "You're gonna rip off some drug dealers."

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Waterfront, 11:30 am..._

Water spilled from the open windows of the governor's car as it dangled from the end of the crane. A crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle, while several eyewitness described the incident to police officers and reporters.

Chin and Kono interviewed as many people as possible trying to piece together what had happened to Danny. Many had only seen the car go off the dock and weren't much help, but Kono was optimistic about her current interviewee, Jim Reed, a writer in his late thirties.

"The crazy guy nearly ran me over," Reed said. "After I saw him jump out of the car I made sure to watch where he was going so I could at least tell the police something."

"You saw which way he went?"

"I sure did." Reed adjusted his silver framed glasses. "I watched him come out of the water, and then he took off his shoes, and ran up toward that parking lot over there. It seemed as if there was a man waiting for him, one of those tough guys, they seemed pretty friendly, because the crazy guy just jumped into the car and they drove off."

"Can you describe the car?"

"Well, I'm not a car guy, but it was green and on the smaller side. I think, I've seen a lot of them on the island."

"Is there anything else you can think of?"

"I really wish I could. I've been thinking, what would make someone just drive off into the ocean like that? It's kind of scary. I think he's probably into something really deep. Maybe gambling debts, maybe drugs, I don't know. I wrote a character like this once though. He ended up dying in a shootout with the police."

Kono refused to think about that possibility. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Reed."

He nodded. Kono turned and walked toward Chin who had just finished with an interview.

"Hey, Cos, I got a statement from a guy who said Danny jumped from the car and then drove off with someone."

"That's progress. I keep getting a replay of the car hitting the water."

"My witness implied Danny knew the driver."

"Really? Maybe we can show him some photos. Where is he?"

Kono looked back. "He's right over... Um, I don't see him." She surveyed the area. "I guess he left."

Chin sighed. "At least Danny's alive. Now we need to figure out what his next move is."

"And how are we going to do that?"

"We'll think of something."

"How is this gonna end, Chin?" Kono stared out at the ocean. "At what point is there no going back for Danny?"

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Unknown location, 12:15 pm..._

Steve ran his tongue over his bottom lip where the taste of barbecue pork lingered. Instead of the anticipated tangy sweetness, a salty dryness met him. He opened his eyes not realizing he had fallen asleep. It was a dream he thought, but still the aroma of food hung in the air.

"I just returned with lunch," Dr. Tric said. "You do like barbecue pork, don't you? They give such a generous portion of meat, and their onion rings, heavenly." Dr. Tric looked at the IV connected to Steve's arm. "Oh, but that's right. You have a delicious bag of electrolytes. I wouldn't want to ruin your appetite."

Steve tried to focus on the doctor's face, but his heavy eyelids and blurry vision prevented him. He felt chilled. The cold started as a tremor in his chest, and with each beat of his heart pulsed outward to his extremities. Steve tried to control his quivering muscles, but his weakened state made that difficult. His head slumped to the side, his chin resting on his collar bone.

Dr. Tric grabbed his clipboard from the table, scribbling a few notes while he chewed a mouthful of meat.

"Commander….Commander, can you hear me? Do you know your name?" the doctor asked.

Steve's head bobbed, and he grunted in response.

Dr. Tric checked several boxes on his paperwork. He walked over to the IV bag, adjusting the flow of liquid. He viewed the readings from the EEG machine then wrote a few more notes. "This experiment has all been very informative. I'm quite fortunate to have been given this opportunity."

Steve lifted his head. His mind felt numb, but did he hear the man say something about this being an opportunity? "Someone…. hired you?'

Dr. Tric pushed his silver rimmed glasses up on the bridge of his nose. "Oh, yes, of course. Did you think I just kidnapped you without cause. That is ridiculous. Someone very powerful and influential hired me to evaluate you and your team."

An image of Wo Fat flashed through Steve's mind. Was it possible he had hired Dr. Tric?

"I see you are thinking. Any guesses?" The doctor leaned forward, a wide grin on his face.

Steve glared at the man until his eyelids slipped close.

"Yes, you should rest while you can. I'm not sure how well your partner will handle his next task. You may be in for a zap, or two."

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Drug dealers' hideout, 12:20 pm..._

Danny rubbed his palms on the legs of his pants. He couldn't wipe off the sweat. Next to him Kamekona held onto the steering wheel, even though they had been parked for nearly twenty minutes. Danny knew the danger of what he was about to do, and the slim chance he had to pull it off. But really when he thought about it, it wasn't the craziest thing he'd done all day.

Danny glanced in the rearview mirror, which he had positioned so he could watch the building behind him. Two men stood outside, talking casually, both wearing jackets to conceal the guns shoved into their waistbands.

"You ready?" Kamekona asked, still gripping the steering wheel.

"To die?" Danny shook his head. "No, not really,"

"Good luck," Kamekona said.

Danny took a deep breath before pushing open the car door. "Thanks, but I've had nothing but bad luck since this all started."

He hurried toward the building. The two men ended their conversation and watched as he approached them. Danny tried to walk past, but they blocked the way. "Where do you think you're going?" one of the men said.

Danny noticed the long, jagged line running down the man's cheek. He cringed inside, trying not to think how painful that must have been. He had a job to do. He had to stay focused. "I need to talk to your boss, Scarface."

The second man, sporting a long ponytail, poked Danny's chest. "Hey, watch your mouth."

Danny pushed the man's hand aside. "Look, Ponyboy, your boss isn't gonna be happy when he finds out you're keeping valuable information from him."

Scarface's eyes narrowed. "What information?"

"I need to tell your boss directly. And tell him I'm with HPD."

"Zee, go get the boss. I'll keep this guy company," Ponyboy said.

Scarface disappeared inside. Several minutes passed before four men, including Scarface, and his boss stepped outside the building. The boss looked annoyed. "I'm trying to run a legitimate business here. What do you want?"

Danny glanced at his watch. "Well, Scarface here took so long that you only have about a minute before HPD is all over this place, and that wouldn't be very good for that big shipment you're about to send out, would it?"

The boss crossed his arms. "What shipment?"

"Really, we're gonna do this?"

"Why should I believe you? And if I did, what's in it for you?"

"Hey." Danny placed his hand to his chest. "I need to make some extra cash that my ex-wife doesn't know about. And I figured if I passed on certain valuable information that was in the best interest of this nice little business you've got going here, you'd give me a cut."

The boss scoffed. "Maybe I should have my men carve you up for fish food."

Danny shrugged. "Yeah, you could, but then I wouldn't be here to help you in the future, right?"

The boss grabbed Danny's shirt. "What kind of game are you playin'?"

Danny raised his hands. "It's called the game of life. And I'm trying to get some for myself."

Sirens in the distance caught the group's attention. "If you want to get this truckload by the police, I need to haul it." Danny said.

The boss chewed on his bottom lip trying to determine the best course of action. "How do I even know you're a cop?"

Danny had to appreciate all the details Dr. Tric included when coming up with this scenario. Kamekona had not only been his ride, but had brought him some supplies. Danny reached into his pocket."

"Hey!" Ponyboy rammed his gun into Danny's side.

"I'm just showing you this." Danny revealed an HPD badge.

The boss studied it. "How do I know that's real?"

Ponyboy, still holding the gun on Danny, spoke up. "He's legit, boss. I've seen this guy around."

"All right. You drive with the cop, and we can meet at the rendezvous at dusk." The boss pointed his finger in Danny's face. "You rip me off, you're a dead man."

Danny smiled. "Sounds fair."

Ponyboy lead the way to the truck. Dr. Tric chirped in Danny's ear as he walked by the passenger side then around the front of the truck. He climbed into the cab as Ponyboy opened the opposite door.

"Hurry up, get this rig moving." Ponyboy said, handing the keys to Danny.

The truck roared to life.

"Um." Danny felt his pockets, looked on the floor, and opened his door.

"What's the problem? Get moving."

"I lost my badge. See if it's on the ground near the truck."

"Forget it. Just go!"

"You're wasting time. I can't leave my badge. How can I be of any help to your boss if I'm in prison."

Ponyboy muttered, pushed open his door, and leaned out.

Danny shoved Ponyboy out of the truck and pulled the door closed. Hitting the gas, Danny drove out of the lot. He could hear Ponyboy yelling, and pounding on the side of the truck, but he soon left the man behind.

"Bravo, bravo, detective," Dr. Tric applauded. "Your friend has made it through the whole day without any electrifying consequences. You've gone above and beyond my expectations."

"Thanks, but now I have a gang of drug dealers that are gonna kill me. Do you have anything else in your bag of tricks to save me from that?"

"I'm afraid you're quite on your own with that one. But good news, detective, I'm sending you an address."

"Are you sending it by carrier pigeon?"

"Take your next left, and you'll find a digital sign that I've changed from important detour information to the location of your friend. But you should hurry he's looking a little pasty. "

Danny checked his side mirrors to see if he was being followed. "Really? You couldn't just tell me."

"That would take all the fun out of it. I'm sorry to say that we've reached the end of our tête-à-tête. It's been electrifying, and I look forward to meeting you in person one day."

"What?"

A recording responded. "This earpiece will self destruct in five, four, three, two…"

Danny ripped the device out of his ear. He heard it hiss then zap just after he threw it out the window.

 **A/N: Thanks to the reviewer who checked in with me today. It gave me the motivation to get this posted. I hope you enjoyed it.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 _Steve's location, 1:30 pm..._

Danny turned the truck onto a road lined with warehouses. Glancing at the side mirrors, he saw no sign of the drug dealer's vehicle. He wiped a hand across his brow, maybe he caught a break.

A red shed came into view. This was the landmark Dr. Tric had referred to on the digital sign Danny had passed earlier. Hoping for the best, he swerved right, crashing through the gate into the warehouse yard. He slammed on the brakes, and the truck skidded to a stop. He jumped out with a quick look over his shoulder before making a beeline for the entrance. He didn't want to be in the open if the drug dealers caught up with him. That wouldn't be pretty.

Danny yanked open the door and hurried into the warehouse. He noticed a heavy chain on the inside of the door along with a deadbolt at the top. These safeguards wouldn't keep his pursuers out, but it would slow them down.

Weaving through the miscellaneous junk cluttering the warehouse, he noticed old crates on dusty shelves and several pieces of rusty equipment, but no sign of Steve. He felt his stomach twist. Had Dr. Tric played him? Was this even the end, or just a continuation of the evil doctor's experiment?

Finally, Danny came to a red door at the rear of the warehouse. He gripped the handle and turned. Locked. He banged his fist on the door. "McGarrett!"

Holding his breath, he pressed his ear against the cool metal praying Steve would answer. But no reply came. To make matters worse, Danny heard car doors slamming and men shouting outside. Time was running out.

Frantic, Danny searched for something, anything, to pry the door open. Wooden crates wouldn't help, but wait, on a shelf to his right, he spotted a hammer. He grabbed it and struck the door's handle. But no matter how hard, or how desperately he pounded, he only managed to scratch the paint and dent the metal. He fell against the door, a wave of exhaustion and hopelessness overwhelming him. He had no idea if Steve was even on the other side.

Danny brushed sweat from his face, then raised the hammer with a quivering hand and let it fall against the metal. The door opened with a haunting creak. Suspicious, he pressed his fingertips to the door and pushed it back. He clenched his jaw to hold back a sob of grief at the sight of Steve's body slumped in an improvised electric chair.

"So help me God, Tric, if he's dead…" Danny inched forward, wiping the back of his hand over his eyes to clear his vision. He knew Dr. Tric must be gone, but he refused to walk into a booby trap, especially with a gang of bloodthirsty drug dealers just outside.

The area around the chair seemed clear. Danny inched closer. Steve's eyes were closed and ringed with shadows, several days of stubble covered his face. His arms and chest were marked with burns from the electric shocks. Danny touched Steve's chaffed wrist, his skin was cold and his pulse weak.

"Hang on, buddy," Danny whispered, his voice hoarse. "I'm gonna get us out of this."

Steve lifted his head for a second before it dropped back against his chest. He let out a deep groan.

"Don't even think about giving me one of those 'I'm about to die' speeches. I'm not interested. You're gonna make it." Then he thought to add, "We both are."

Steve raised his head once more. "Go," he whispered. "Bomb."

"What?" Danny yelled. "Where?"

Steve's head slumped forward.

"Hey, McGarrett," Danny shook his friend. "Come on! Don't die on me!"

Frantic, Danny searched for anything that might resemble an explosive device. He tore open boxes, checked the beeping machines, and Steve's chair. He dropped to the floor and crawled, looking under and behind the computer equipment. Wires criss crossed along the floor, but none of them connected to anything resembling a bomb. Maybe it was hidden beneath the floor. He ran his fingers over the wood looking for grooves, or loose boards. He wondered if he was wasting his time. Was the bomb even in this room? And even if he found it, what would he do with it? He didn't know how to diffuse a bomb using just a paperclip and a roll of duct tape. He was a detective not MacGyver. And he wasn't Steve.

#~~#~~#~~#

 _Just outside the warehouse, 1:50 pm..._

Chin and Kono screeched to a halt at the unhinged gate. _Bang, bang_. Several bullets hit the front fender and tire of Chin's car. Kono bailed out, taking cover behind the car. Chin followed, grabbing his shotgun.

"I counted three guys," Kono said.

"Me, too," Chin responded. "There's probably more inside."

"What should we do, Chin? HPD is still two to three minutes out."

"I don't think Danny has that long. We need to do something."

They held each other's gaze for a moment.

Chin checked his shotgun. "I'll go right."

Kono nodded.

The cousins sprang out from behind the car and fired, just as the warehouse exploded.

* * *

A/N: Well, that was an explosive chapter. I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

When Chin and Kono recovered from the blast, their first thought was to run into the building with the hope Danny had somehow survived. But as the flames consumed the structure, their instincts told them otherwise. Danny was gone.

They stood frozen as HPD officers rushed forward to apprehend the thugs who had been dazed by the blast. The cousins didn't know what else to do. They stared at the destruction before them.

Chin put an arm around Kono, but no words could make the situation any less of a nightmare. How would they ever make sense of it all. And how would they ever find out what happened to Steve.

"Hey," a hoarse voice called from behind them. "Could I get some help over here?"

They turned to find Danny struggling out of a red shed with Steve cradled in his arm. Covered with dirt and blood, the two men looked ready to collapse.

"Danny! How in the world…" The question remained unfinished as Kono and Chin helped their teammates to an area away from the blaze..

"Put Steve here." Duke directed Chin to a blanket he had laid on the pavement. "Paramedics will be here any minute."

Danny dropped next to Steve and tapped his shoulder. "Come on, buddy, wake up. I just saved the day and you're missing it."

Kono grabbed a water bottle, twisted off the cap, and offered it to him. "Here, Danny."

He ignored her. "You still owe me twenty bucks from last week, McGarrett. You've gotta wake up, wake up!"

Chin grabbed Danny by the shoulders and pulled him back as the paramedics arrived. "Danny, give them some room."

"Hey, that's my best friend. You've gotta save him, you hear me?"

"Come on, Danny," Chin insisted. "You've done your job, now let them do theirs."

Danny let the cousins lead him away. As much as he didn't want to leave Steve's side, now that he had found him, he knew he had to. Chin led him to the back of an ambulance where he sat down and Kono draped a blanket over his shoulders. He watched as the paramedics worked on Steve and then took him away in another ambulance.

Danny wondered if he'd be able to follow. He figured they were just letting him rest a few moments before putting him in handcuffs and carting him away to prison. He'd known that would be the outcome, but now that it was going to be a reality, he wasn't prepared for it. He knew that given the choice, he'd do it all over again just to save Steve.

Kono pressed the water bottle into Danny's hand, her face just inches from his. "Drink it."

His mind registered her command. He lifted the bottle to his lips, and the cool liquid slipped down his dry, irritated throat. It helped relieve his thirst, but not the nagging feeling these were his last moments of freedom.

He set the bottle aside and held out his hands. "You guys should just get it over with. I know you hate me, and that I'm going to prison. Let's not pretend otherwise."

Chin raised an eyebrow. "Danny, we found your note on Steve's desk. We know you were trying to help him."

Danny looked relieved. "Really? So you know everything I did, I did to save him."

Kono nodded. "We kind of figured that out."

"Yeah, yeah," Danny looked at the bruise on Chin's face. "Hey, sorry about punching you. And, Kono, I don't love you, I mean I do, but not like that. More like a sister, a much younger sister, that's just a sister—"

Kono smiled. "I got it, Danny."

"We're good," Chin said.

Danny sighed. "But I still have to go to prison, right?"

#~~#~~#~~#

Danny was grateful that instead of sitting in a prison cell he was in the emergency waiting room, at least for now. During the ride to the hospital, exhausted as he felt, he told Chin and Kono about his misadventures with the crazy Dr. Tric. They in turn recounted their side of the story, including how they managed to find him at the warehouse. Fortunately for Danny, one of the drug dealer's gang members was an undercover police officer who had recognized him and called HPD fearing for Danny's safety.

While the three waited for news about Steve, Governor Denning, with two of his aides, entered the room. The Five-0 members were about to stand, but the governor held up his hand.

"Please, don't get up," he said. "I heard about Commander McGarrett and I just wanted to come by and see how he's doing."

"We don't know very much, yet," Chin said. "But the doctor should be coming out soon."

The governor nodded. "This situation is very concerning. Do you have any leads on the person who did this?"

"No," Kono replied. "None of us actually saw the man, but we think McGarrett might have, so we're hoping he'll be able to give us a description."

"Very good." Governor Denning turned to Danny. "Detective Williams, I'm well aware that everything you've done today was only to protect your partner, and while I don't condone deviant behavior, these were extenuating circumstances, which I will make everyone aware of. I would greatly appreciate a full report of this incident as soon as is possible for you. And if there's anything Commander McGarrett needs please don't hesitate to let me know."

Danny's expression was a mixture of embarrassment and relief. He choked out a grateful thank you before the governor and his aides exited the room. He released a low whistle and sank further into his chair, rubbing his hands over his weary, lined face.

"He seemed pretty understanding," Chin said. "Considering how upset he was about our last case."

"Now if it could be this easy with Grace and Gabby."

"Why don't you give it a try," Kono said, inclining her head toward the door. "I'm sure they'll understand."

"Grace. Gabby," Danny said. "How did you know to come here?"

"Kono texted me," Grace responded, rushing forward to hug him. "I wanted to know when you were safe. I told her you'd never tell me to have pineapple on my pizza unless something was wrong."

"You know me so well, monkey. I love you."

"I love you, too, Danno."

"Between the note we found on Steve's desk and Grace's phone call we were sure you were acting under duress," Chin explained. "We checked in with everyone close to you in the event they had encountered your strange behavior."

Danny nodded, holding Grace in his arms, a bit overwhelmed. He met Gabby's eyes. She was standing off to the side, watching. He looked at Grace. "Can you give me a minute?"

Danny walked over to Gabby. "Look, I know you're probably really mad at me right now." He pressed his hands together. "But please, please give me another chance. I've got a story to tell you. And I need you to tell me how it's gonna end."

#~~#~~#~~#

Steve woke to the muffled beeping of his alarm clock. It was usually louder, he thought. As he became more conscious, he realized the noise was unfamiliar. He forced his heavy eyelids open trying to establish his location. Foggy memories slipped into his mind, he groaned. Someone called to him. "McGarrett." He was uncertain if the voice belonged to Danny, or if Dr. Tric was still experimenting on him.

"McGarrett." This time a hand touched his shoulder. Steve shifted his head on the pillow. The face he saw brought relief.

"Danny..." Steve mumbled.

"I told you we were gonna make it, buddy," Danny said.

Steve tried to smile. "Thanks, Danno."

"You guys had quite the adventure," Chin remarked. Steve turned to see the cousins sitting on the other side of the room.

Kono smiled. "Good to see you, boss."

"Hey," Steve breathed.

"We promised the nurse we wouldn't get you too excited, so we can't stay long," Danny said.

"I don't think you have to worry about that." Steve coughed. "How long am I stuck here?"

Danny raised his hands. "That depends on how cooperative you are."

Steve closed his eyes. "I think it's safe to say I'll cooperate."

Danny snorted. "Yeah, of course you will."

Steve opened his eyes again and looked at Danny. "Did you find him?" he asked. "The doctor?"

Danny shook his head. "Not yet."

"Anything you can tell us would be helpful," Chin added.

"I think he was hired by someone," Steve replied. "But I don't know who."

"With how personal this whole thing was, that would make sense," Kono said. "Maybe it's connected to our last case. We did anger a lot of powerful people."

"I don't know," Chin responded. "It seems a little too dramatic."

"He must have had help," Steve added. "But the part leading up to me being strapped to that chair is kind of foggy. I think I was drugged somehow."

"Just give it some time, Steve. It'll start coming back to you."

A quick rap on the doorframe announced an employee from the hospital gift shop, struggling with balloons and a teddy bear that was half his size. "Excuse me, I have a delivery for a Mr. McGarrett."

"Can I give you a hand," Chin offered.

"No, I got it," the man replied. "Where would you like it?"

"Put it over there," Danny said, gesturing toward a table. "Thanks."

"Okay," the man said. "I'll be out of your way in a jiffy."

"Oh, how cute," Kono said, looking at the bear. "I wonder who it's from."

"Maybe the governor," Danny said. "He actually stopped by to check on you, McGarrett."

"Would he really send a stuffed bear?" Chin asked.

"Probably not," Kono said.

Steve was having trouble concentrating on the conversation. There was something odd about the delivery man busying himself with nothing. When he finally left, Steve relaxed a little. He knew he must be overreacting. It was going to take some time for him to get back to normal after this nightmare. He needed rest.

Steve realized, his eyes still hadn't left the door. What was he waiting for? Suddenly, the man poked his head back into the room and waved as he slid on his silver framed reflective glasses.

Steve nearly jumped out of bed, but his body protested.

"Hey, calm down," Danny said, holding Steve back. "What's wrong."

Steve fought against him. "That's him! That's Dr. Tric!"

Steve didn't need to say anything more. Danny, Chin, and Kono bolted out into the hallway in pursuit of the doctor. A nurse ran into the room to see what was amiss and had a hard time trying to calm Steve down.

Twenty minutes later Danny returned. Steve knew by the frown on his partner's face that Dr. Tric had escaped.

#~~#~~#~~#

Governor Denning stared at the wrecked BMW in his driveway, He wasn't sure why it was there, or who was responsible for it being there, but it was the last thing he wanted to see. It was a painful reminder of how terribly wrong things could go. Thankfully, Commander McGarrett would recover, and Detective Williams seemed to be in one piece, but he still felt uneasy. The deep hole detective Williams was in would be hard to dig him out of, Governor of Hawaii or not. He felt responsible, but he knew he had to be careful, or this whole mess would blow up in his face.

He turned away and walked into the house. All was quiet as he entered his study. He clicked the switch on the wall, and the recessed lights blinked on. Denning stepped back as he watched his leather chair swivel.

"I thought the car was the perfect touch. Don't you?" Dr. Tric said.

"Who let you in here, professor?" Denning demanded.

"Now, now. Let's not be hostile. This is just a follow up visit to show you the findings of my experiment, and to see if you are satisfied with my work?"

Denning strode over to where the man sat. "Satisfied? You expect me to be satisfied?" He leaned on the desk. "You kidnapped, tortured, and almost killed the man in charge of my task force. Then you coerced his partner to act in ways unbecoming of an officer of the law. And you almost killed him. This was not what I hired you for!"

"You did ask for the most innovative assessment for determining how well your task force would work together, and to what lengths they would go to protect each other."

"Yes, I did, but you were supposed to conduct the assessment by interviewing them and observing them while in the field. I never asked you for this circus performance."

"My methods are scientifically based. Beforehand, I calculated the amount of mental, physical, and emotional stress each of the subjects could withstand and—"

"You're insane." Denning hissed.

"Perhaps I am," Dr. Tric responded. "But I have you to thank for opening my eyes to my real potential."

"I should have you arrested."

"But you wouldn't do that. Your political career would be over." Dr. Tric rose from the chair. He tapped a folder on the desk. "Here are my findings if you care to look them over. I also left a contact number in the event you wish to enlist my services again."

"That won't be necessary."

Dr. Tric smiled. "Thank you, governor, it's been _electrifying_." He paused by the door. "By the way, you may want to fix the holes in your security, anyone could just waltz in here and take something...or someone."

* * *

A/N: Only one chapter left. Thanks for reading.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Almost a week later, Danny found himself still checking over his shoulder for Dr. Tric. After witnessing the man's boldness to walk right into Steve's hospital room, Danny wasn't taking any chances. His eyes followed a jogger in a bright colored workout suit who ran by. Did the man just look back at him? No, he was checking out the woman a few picnic tables away. But what about the man walking his dog? Danny squinted. The man seemed to be minding his own business, but that could all be a show. Maybe he was using car mirrors to watch him, or maybe he had cameras set up somewhere. Dr. Tric had shown how capably creepy he was. Maybe he'd even paid people to follow Danny and—

"Danno, are you all right?" Grace asked, pausing from enjoying her shave ice.

Danny turned his attention back to her. "Yeah, monkey I—"

Grace gave him a doubtful look.

"Okay, I'm just a little distracted today, but I'm focused on you now. What were we talking about?"

"Are you thinking about what happened to Uncle Steve?"

Danny folded his hands on the table. "Maybe a little."

"Were you really scared?"

Since that day Danny hadn't really talked about what happened other than from a case perspective. He knew Chin and Kono were trying to give him time, and he didn't visit Steve for long enough to talk about their experience. Maybe he'd been avoiding talking. Maybe he hadn't been thinking about it either. Other than constantly looking over his shoulder and the nightmares. Who was he kidding? He'd hadn't been thinking about anything else.

"Danno?"

Danny ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I was scared. Can we maybe talk about something else?"

"I was scared too," Grace said. "But I knew everything would be okay because you always make everything okay."

Danny smiled slightly. "I'm just glad you're still talking to me."

"I'm your daughter, talking to you is in my job description. And I take my job very seriously." She grinned. "Can we go by and visit uncle Steve?"

"Well, Uncle— he, has a of lot checkups from doctors and stuff going on this afternoon, so it might not be the best time."

"Tomorrow?"

"We'll see. Now you better hurry up and eat that shave ice or I'm gonna have to eat it for you."

#~~#~~#~~#

Five-0 and HPD had been searching for Dr. Tric for the past week, but still had yet to uncover any information about him. It was frustrating, especially for Steve who had been stuck in a hospital bed. Thankfully, that was all about to change today because he was going home.

The doctors and nurses made him promise to take it easy, and while Steve had been all promises inside the hospital, the second he stepped outside he tried to steal Danny's keys to drive himself home. But Danny stood his ground, refusing to let him have his way. Finally, Danny managed to shove him in the passenger seat and head in the direction of his house.

When they arrived, Danny jumped out of the vehicle, hurrying to open Steve's door. "Let me help you." He held the car door open as his partner stepped out. "I'll get your bag in a minute. Let's get you inside." Danny grabbed Steve's arm.

"I'm fine." Steve grimaced. "Danny, I appreciate what you're doing, but I can walk inside on my own."

Danny shrugged.

Steve looked around "Did you wash my truck?"

"Yeah, it needed to be cleaned."

"And you mowed my lawn?"

"I had some extra time. I'm pretty much unemployed right now."

"It'll all work out," Steve said, heading toward the house. "We'll both be back at work before you know it."

"You might be, but..." Danny trailed off as he fumbled to unlock the front door. He pushed the door open and allowed Steve to go inside first.

The place looked pretty much the same as when Steve had left, except the smell of lemon lingered in the air.

Steve turned to his friend. "Did you clean my house?"

"Yeah, I figured it was the least I could do."

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"None of this was your fault, Danny."

"Can't a guy do something for his friend? Lighten up, McGarrett."

Steve shook his head. "Danny, you can call me Steve. Nothing bad's gonna happen."

Danny looked away. "Should we order a pizza? I think that's a good idea."

"Hey, don't change the subject.

Danny absentmindedly started going through Steve's mail. "It's just..." He sighed. "Everytime I try to use your name, I can hear you scream. It's horrible." Danny looked up, his eyes moist. "I keep telling myself that none of this was my fault, but when I forgot and used your name, or I didn't move fast enough, it was my fault that you got hurt."

Steve put his hand on Danny's shoulder. "Are you the one who put me in that chair?"

"Well, no."

"Then don't you think the person who put me there is the one to blame?"

Danny sighed. "Logically, yes, but I still feel like it's my fault. It's just gonna take time."

Steve nodded. "I know what you mean."

"We will find him...Steve. I promise."

Steve smiled. "Yeah, we will, but not tonight. How about that pizza?"

"As long as there's no pineapple."

"How about we go half and half."

"You're really pushing it." Danny glanced at one of the letters in his hand. "Oh, no. Your electric bill is overdue." He opened it.

"I can open my own mail, Danny."

"I know that, it's just, maybe I should pay it for you—"

Steve put his hands on his hips. "What did we just talk about?"

Danny ignored him. "Do you usually get a letter with your electric bill?"

"What?"

"Maybe they heard you were in the hospital."

"Give me that." Steve snatched the letter from Danny's hand and read it. When he finished he held it out to his partner.

There was something in Steve's eyes that alarmed Danny. He took the letter and read its contents.

 _Dear Dynamic Duo,_

 _It was so good of you to join me in my little experiment. It's a shame our time together was so brief. I did enjoy watching the fireworks during the grand rescue scene, and your escape through my secret tunnel was right out of the movies. I had a feeling you were both clever enough to survive._

 _I must say my only regret from the experience is that I was unable to observe Commander McGarrett in action. But then there's always next time..._

 _See you both soon. It will be electrifying._

 _Dr. E. L. Tric_

 _P.S. I hope you like the stuffed bear._

* * *

A/N: We've reached the end! Unfortunately, I have no plans for a sequel, which seems crazy with how this story ended, but it just wouldn't end any other way. I hope you enjoyed the story. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts with me. :)


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